The Denver Broncos finally found some momentum in their running game during their narrow 10-9 victory over the New York Jets in Week 4. This was a much-needed boost, especially as rookie quarterback Bo Nix struggled through one of the worst passing performances in NFL history for a winning QB, completing just 12 of 25 passes for 60 yards.
Despite the improvement in the running game, the Broncos aren’t standing still. The need to reinforce their backfield became even more urgent after running back Tyler Badie sustained a serious back injury against the Jets, requiring him to be secured on a backboard before leaving the field.
On October 1, the Broncos wasted no time adding depth by signing veteran running back Salvon Ahmed to the practice squad. Ahmed, who spent the last four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, brings valuable experience to the team. The Broncos officially announced the move on their website.
From DenverBroncos.com: “Ahmed is a 5-foot-11, 197-pound player who has rushed for 593 yards and five touchdowns in his career. Over four seasons with the Miami Dolphins (2020-2023), Ahmed appeared in 38 games, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. He also caught 40 passes for 274 yards and one touchdown. His most productive season came in 2020 when he rushed for 319 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 4.3 yards per carry.”
A College Star in the Pac-12
Ahmed shined in college, playing three seasons at the University of Washington, where he earned All-Pac-12 honors twice. His standout season came in 2019, when he rushed for 1,020 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Ahmed entered the 2020 NFL Draft a year early but went undrafted. He initially signed with the San Francisco 49ers but was waived before finding a spot on the Dolphins’ active roster.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein had projected Ahmed as a sixth-round pick but noted his struggles with vision as a runner. “Ahmed lacks feel for blocking schemes and run-lane development,” Zierlein wrote. “He can hit a daily goal with the amount of steps he uses on each carry, but it prevents him from being able to plant and go with much-needed efficiency. He’s athletic with open-field speed but leaves too many chunk plays on the field.”
Despite these concerns, Ahmed managed to carve out a role with the Dolphins, sticking with the team for four seasons before being placed on the non-football injury list in June and waived in August.
Broncos’ Running Game Still a Work in Progress
Entering Week 4, quarterback Bo Nix had been leading the Broncos in rushing, a clear sign of their struggles in the backfield. That changed when Javonte Williams stepped up with 77 rushing yards on 16 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt.
Williams, who led the Broncos with 774 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 2023, has had a slow start to 2024, managing only 126 yards through four games with a 3.2 yards-per-carry average, down slightly from his 2023 average of 3.6.
The Broncos’ ongoing struggles in the running game have mirrored their overall team challenges. Denver has missed the playoffs since their Super Bowl run in 2015, hasn’t posted a winning record since 2016, and hasn’t seen a 1,000-yard rusher since Phillip Lindsay in 2019.
As the team looks to rebound, the addition of Salvon Ahmed could provide some much-needed depth and spark to their ground game.
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